Pension Victory for Gulf War veteran

MoD forced to recognize Gulf
War Syndrome

On 26
September, after a 10-year
battle, veteran Alex
Izett, 36, forced the Ministry of
Defence to concede that
he is suffering from Gulf War Syndrome.

In a
precedent setting case, Mr Izett is the first veteran to be acknowledged as
suffering from the syndrome even though he was never deployed to the Gulf.
His
victory opens the way for thousands of veterans suffering from ill health to
claim war pensions and compensation for the way the Ministry of Defence
(MoD) destroyed their health.

In 1991, in
preparation for deployment to the Gulf war, Mr Izett received nine
vaccinations in 24 hours. The war ended before his deployment, and his body
started to disintegrate soon after. The
former lance corporal tried to commit suicide twice after developing
osteoporosis, paralysis, and kidney problems.

He now suffers
from depression, walks with a stick, his teeth are falling out, and his
bones are so weak he has broken his knee-cap, shoulder and ribs.

In 2004
Mr Izett,
who lives in Bersenbruck, Germany, went on a 40-day
hunger strike to force the MoD to hold a public inquiry into Gulf War
Syndrome. Though the MoD refused, and tried to deny the existence of the
syndrome, his hunger strike precipitated a campaign which won an independent
(non-governmental) public inquiry.

Mr Izett said:

“My family, Gina, Christian and Sabrina, have suffered with me. Had it not
have been for them then I am sure I would never have lived on to see this
glorious day! I would like to thank them, as I do my mum, dad, sister and
aunt for their continuous and appreciated help. I would also like to thank
my dear friends at Payday
who cared for me during the full duration of my 40-day hunger strike.”

The War Pensions
Appeal Tribunal has now ruled that he has Gulf War Syndrome. The MoD’s
denial of his condition meant that if he died, his wife Gina, 39, would get
nothing.

Mr Izett further
commented on his victory:

“The MoD have done nothing for me in the past 16 years. However, my dear
friends and family gave me faith, more so strength to live on and carry
on my battle for justice against the MoD.”

The
ruling confirms that Gulf War Syndrome exists and establishes once and for
all that vaccinations are clearly a cause. The price the MoD will have to
pay for their criminal disregard of human life is not big: they must pay his
dental bills, and the Veterans Agency will decide whether Mr Izett will be
awarded the full £124-a-week pension, not a royal sum for causing continuing
ill-health.

Michael
Kalmanovitz from Payday said:

“Mr Izett’s victory must become an occasion to widen the investigation into
Gulf War Syndrome – in addition to toxic vaccinations -- exposure to
depleted uranium, fall-out from chemical and biological weapons and burnt
oil fumes must be investigated as further causes. How many of the more than
650,000 Iraqi people The Lancet’s inquiry says died in Gulf War 2 have
suffered the same illness as is affecting Alex Izett?”

NOTES

In two
previous veterans’ cases, the MoD had to concede Gulf War Syndrome was the
cause of illness – both Mr Shaun Rusling and Mr Daniel Martin had been
deployed to the Gulf.